A bill working its way through the Pennsylvania Senate would require nearly all hospitals to offer the emergency contraception pill to rape victims -- and not everyone is happy about it.

The bill, called the Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act (CARE), is sponsored by Sen. Joe Conti (R-Doylestown).

It recently passed through the Public Health and Welfare Committee and should be voted on by the full Senate sometime in November, spokeswoman Vicki Wilken said.

CARE was able to get out of the committee after a five-year waiting period only when it exempted religious hospital employees from actually giving the emergency contraception to patients, Wilken said.

"Advocates brought it to Senator Conti looking for someone who could help get a compromise with all the stakeholders," Wilken said.

"The senator believed it was more important for all hospitals to provide written and oral information about emergency contraception."

Wilken added that the bill would also require all hospitals -- including religious ones -- to call a sexual assault counselor to assist a victim.

All 67 Pennsylvania counties have one on call 24 hours a day, she said.

Rape victims treated at Mount Nittany Medical Center are told about emergency contraception and provided with it if deemed necessary, said clinical supervisor Kevin Smith.

"Anytime we talk about a sexual assault, it's case by case," Smith said. "We do carry it, we do offer it."

Smith said rape victims are first seen by a rape crisis team to collect evidence, then by a physician. He said the pill is offered to victims based on the circumstances of each case.

"Every patient is going to be different," Smith said. "If they are found to be pregnant, we don't give it."

Center for Women Students Director Peggy Lorah agreed that all victims should be offered the morning after pill.

"As an advocate for victims of rape and sexual assault, I think it's important that emergency contraception is both offered and encouraged by medical providers," Lorah said.

Penn State Students for Life president Ryan Kasun said his organization does not support emergency contraception.

"The morning after pill is very dangerous to women," Kasun said, citing studies that have shown the pill's negative health effects.

Kasun said that he sympathizes with rape victims but does not support these contraceptive measures, especially ones used to terminate an already existing pregnancy.

"We have to understand both perspectives," Kasun said. "It's not really the child's fault that they were raped."

Kasun said if the CARE bill did become law, he and the Students for Life could do little to prevent the distribution of emergency contraception.

"Really the only thing we can do is distribute information on the terrible things these contraceptive pills can do," he said.

The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape is an organization that worked with Conti to create and support CARE.

Danielle Sunday, communications supervisor for the coalition, said she is excited about the bill's progress.

"It's really a big step," Sunday said. "We've been trying to get it out of committee for well over a year."

Sunday said providing emergency contraception to rape victims is a vital part of treatment.

"The real goal is to have it given at the hospital as part of a standard of care that rape victims should receive," she said.